Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Chief Justice, Lal Masjid & Jang Group Confusion.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the authorities to pay equal compensation to the heirs of all 103 people killed in the Lal Masjid operation, DawnNews reported. A three-judge bench of the apex court, comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Jawwad S Khwaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, issued the ruling while hearing a number of cases relating to the Lal Masjid incident. During the hearing, Justice Khwaja said that those killed in the operation were innocent as the police could not produce any criminal records against them. Moreover, Islamabad police submitted two reports pertaining to the operation in the court. Addressing the deputy attorney general, Chief Justice Iftikhar said the court had directed the government to compensate the heirs of those killed in the operation. He inquired of the deputy attorney general as to how the authorities determined who was innocent and who was not. The deputy attorney general said the heirs of those who were waging war against the state were not compensated. Responding to which the chief justice said: “It was a small matter…no one was waging war against the state.” The court then ruled that compensation be paid to the heirs of all 103 people killed in the operation and directed the police to register an FIR of the killings. The hearing was adjourned for a period of two weeks. REFERENCE: Lal Masjid case: SC orders payment of compensation to heirs of those killed DAWN.COM | 25th May, 2012 http://dawn.com/2012/05/25/lal-masjid-case-sc-orders-payment-of-compensation-to-heirs-of-those-killed/

Hardcore terrorists holed up inside Lal Masjid: Ejaz Monday, July 09, 2007 ISLAMABAD: Some hardcore terrorists, involved in various national and international terrorist acts, have pitched inside the Lal Masjid and the government will disclose their number and identity at an appropriate time. Minister for Religious Affairs, Ejaz-ul-Haq stated this at a press conference here on Sunday. He supported his statement with the information that the man killed on the second day of operation on Lal Masjid was one of the terrorists involved in attack on the prime minister. The minister said these elements have taken control of the mosque and are bullying the children taken as hostage, with death threats. The government has adopted flexible stance only due to presence of students inside the mosque, Ejaz said, adding: ìAbout 200 to 500 students are estimated to be surrounded and strictly guarded by these terrorists.î

The minister informed that the government has released approximately 200 of the arrested students so far, while 450 to 500 students are still in custody and arrangement for lodging and education for these students at the Model Madrassah in Haji Camp is being considered. All of the Jamia Fareedia students have left for their homes, while faculty members and their families are kept in protective custody there, he told a questioner. Replying to a query about the high number deaths in the Madrassah as claimed by Maulana Ghazi, the minister said: “A rumour factory working in the Madrassah is engaged in distracting attention of the media. The truth will be exposed after ambulances bring the bodies out from there.” Coming hard on the demand of safe passage to these elements, he said, “What kind of safe passage they are talking about? They are reaping what they harvested.”

The government tried every option but the Madrassah administration kept altering its demands, he added. Responding to a question, the minister reiterated the government’s stance that no action was being taken against any other Madrassah in the country. Referring to different government steps the minister said meetings have been arranged with renowned religious scholars so as to secure release of students from the Madrassah and avoid bloodshed. Maulana Rafi Usmani and Hafiz Jalandhari have reached Islamabad in this connection while a three-minister committee is also closely watching the situation, he added. Responding to another question, the minister criticised the leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami for showing hasty gestures and issuing irresponsible statements. REFERENCE: Hardcore terrorists holed up inside Lal Masjid: Ejaz Monday, July 09, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=63682&Cat=6&dt=7/9/2007

A bastion linked to militancy Thursday, July 05, 2007 ISLAMABAD: The Lal Masjid has long been known as a bastion of radicals in the heart of the capital, Islamabad. But Maulana Abdul Aziz and Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi, two brothers who run the mosque, also have known intelligence ties. The red-brick mosque was set up by the father of the two Maulanas, in the 1960s, when the city was first built on scrubby flat land up against the Himalayan foothills. The father, Maulana Muhammad Abdullah, turned the mosque into a headquarters of radicals in the 1980s, when fighters, backed by Pakistan, the United States and Saudi Arabia, battled Soviet occupiers in Afghanistan. When Maulana Abdullah was assassinated in 1998 his sons took up his mantle. The brothers have for years delivered fiery sermons at their mosque in a neighbourhood of tree-lined streets near a main shopping area, and not far from the parliament and a high-security diplomatic enclave. After 9/11 the mosque became a focal point of anti-US and anti-Musharraf sentiments after Pakistan abandoned the Taliban and aligned himself with Washington’s “war on terror”. The changed scenario brought the clerics’ relations with the intelligence services under stress. The Maulana brothers exhorted followers to join Jihad against the US involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq. Books, newspapers, CDs and cassettes glorifying Jihad have for years been sold at stalls outside the mosque.

The gulf widened in 2003 when the clerics issued an edict against Pakistani troop operations targeting the Taliban and al-Qaeda figures in the tribal areas. Still some sections of the intelligence network continued to provide clandestine support to the clerics, despite their hostility towards Musharraf, according to a security official and reports. In 2004, the government accused Ghazi of involvement in a plot to attack the Presidency and the US embassy and arrested up to 10 al-Qaeda suspects in connection with the plot. Security forces tried to raid the mosque in 2005 during an investigation of Pakistani links to the London bombings that year. In 2005, some arms were found in a vehicle owned by Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi, after which police picked up several suspects for plotting attacks. A terrorism case was lodged against Ghazi but it was shelved on the intervention of Religious Affairs Minister Ejaz-ul Haq.

“I helped Ghazi because he assured me he was not involved and the car was used without his knowledge,” Ejaz said recently in a television talk show. The latest trouble at the mosque and the adjoining Jamia Hafsa — Madrassa for girls and women — began in January when the brothers, Abdul Aziz and Abdul Rashid Ghazi, embarked on an apparent collision course with the government and their Burqa-clad students started a Taliban-style anti-vice campaign. The mosque said it has around 5,000 male and 4,000 female students, ranging in ages from early teens to the mid 20s. Most are from conservative tribal areas. The students occupied a library to protest against a campaign to remove mosques built illegally on state land. In March, the students abducted three Pakistani women they accused of running a brothel and held them for several days. They also abducted and briefly held policemen, and have warned video shops to stop selling Western films deemed obscene.

Animosity reached fever pitch last month when the students upped the stakes, kidnapping nine people including six Chinese women from an acupuncture clinic, claiming it was a brothel. The nine were released after 17 hours but not before Pakistan was hugely embarrassed over the failure to protect citizens of China, its most steadfast ally. Security sources said Taliban militants were using the sprawling compound to hide in, as were sectarian “Jihadis”, belonging to banned militants groups. Security sources also say slain Afghan Taliban commander Mullah Dadullah also had links with the brothers. “We had intelligence for some time now that militants were trained as suicide bombers at this complex, having a nexus with the Taliban hiding in our tribal areas”, a senior security official said. Several Taliban commanders lodged at the mosque during trips to the capital, the official said on condition of anonymity. While some militant clerics have voiced support for Lal Masjid, the country’s most prominent hardline preachers appeared on Wednesday to be distancing themselves from the mosque. Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, a senator who runs a famous Madrassa in the NWFP, said he had tried to get Lal Masjid clerics to give up their aggressive tactics. “As far as their demand of enforcing the Sharia is concerned, it is the basic right of every Muslim,” he said. “But we differed with their way of doing it and I and others tried to convince them to give it up. But the government should not attack Lal Masjid. It will create thousands of Lal Masjids throughout the country. It will then be impossible to handle,” he said. REFERENCE: A bastion linked to militancy Thursday, July 05, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=63247&Cat=6&dt=7/5/2007

Army commander killed in line of duty at Lal Masjid Shakeel Anjum Monday, July 09, 2007 ISLAMABAD: The final operation to put down the Lal Masjid revolt is imminent as President General Pervez Musharraf on Sunday gave a go-ahead to the security forces to act decisively. The decision to wrap up the six-day siege of Lal Masjid-Jamia Hafsa complex was taken on the heels of the killing of Lt-Col Haroon Islam by militants early on Sunday morning. Musharraf called a high-level meeting on Monday morning as fresh troops started taking positions around the complex shortly before midnight on Sunday. The guns remained silent all day. An exchange of fire took place as the night fell. This was, however, not as intensive as was witnessed in the past few days. It appeared to be a lull before the storm. Announcements were made on loudspeakers by the security forces asking the Lal Masjid inmates to let them carry the injured to hospitals. Ambulances were also seen moving towards the Lal Masjid. However, none of the injured was evacuated. Earlier, deputy cleric of the Lal Masjid Maulana Abdur Rashid Ghazi while talking to a private TV channel claimed that 305 persons were killed due to the intense firing by the security forces late Saturday night. He claimed that the bodies were lying scattered in different areas of the complex.

However, ISPR spokesman Maj-Gen Waheed Arshad and Interior Ministry spokesman Brig (retd) Javed Iqbal Cheema termed the claim of the Lal Masjid cleric as false and without any basis. Ghazi called a press conference in Lal Masjid but no journalist could reach there. The administration later blocked all the mobile phone connections being used by Maulana Ghazi and his supporters in the mosque. The security agencies demolished a major portion of Jamia Hafsa complex early Sunday morning. “The whole complex will be flattened gradually within 24 hours,” the sources said. “About 150 women, children and men are being kept hostages by the militants in different rooms in the basement of the complex,” the sources claimed, quoting statements of Noor Hayat and Shah Akbar, who had escaped from the complex on Sunday. They said they had mapped the point where the innocent people were being kept hostages.

Meanwhile, officials who witnessed the killing of Lt-Col Islam said that the late colonel along with Maj Tariq was planting explosives on the boundary wall of the mosque when the extremists sprayed bullets on him. Muhammad Maqsood, guard of Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi, was killed in the retaliatory fire by the security forces, they added. “Two young Afghan national militants, Fidaullah, 19, commander of security wing, and Khanzada, 18, involved in different incidents of terrorism in Pakistan, fired at Lt-Col Haroon Islam and Maj Tariq,” the sources said. The police have registered FIR No 230 dated 7/13/2007 at the Aabpara Police Station on the complaint of wounded Major Tariq against Ghazi and his aides under Section 302 and 324 PPC and 6/7 ATA (anti-terrorist act) for killing the Army commando, the sources said. “Ghazi is hidden in an underground room in Lal Masjid along with his mother, Sahib Bibi, Auntie Halima (the sister of his father) and sister of his mother, Lal Bibi,” the sources claimed.

Meanwhile, the authorities have started releasing innocent persons, arrested during the last five days in the operation. “As many as 748 people have been arrested so far,” the sources said. Of them, 447 accused were in jail while 152, most of them underage, have been handed over to their parents/wards by the prime minister in Jinnah Sports Complex. Some 149 were in different police stations of Islamabad. The criteria of declaring the detained people innocent has been established by the authorities, the sources said, adding: “Three categories of detained persons have been set to fix responsibilities after the screening of the arrested people – white, grey and black. The accused placed in ‘black’ category were involved in heinous offences and would be booked under the anti-terrorist act; ‘grey’ would be booked under less serious offences while ‘white’ would be booked for minor offences under 188 PPC.” The sources said that over 20 inmates were wounded during the late Saturday night firing. “Killings during the crossfire cannot be ruled out,” they said. REFERENCE: Army commander killed in line of duty at Lal Masjid Shakeel Anjum Monday, July 09, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=8908&Cat=13&dt=7/9/2007

Govt compromise with Ghazi will not be unique Ansar Abbasi Monday, July 09, 2007 ISLAMABAD: If a fugitive from law, wanted for his alleged involvement in heinous crimes, could be appointed the governor of a province, what bars the government from offering concessions to Maulana Abdur Rashid Ghazi for the sake of the lives of hundreds of innocents, including children and women, still holed up in Lal Masjid? Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was a “wanted” man when he was offered this prestigious public office. Gen Pervez Musharraf had to swallow this bitter pill because he wanted the MQM to join the ISI-made Pakistan Muslim League-Q to make his choice governments, both at the Centre and the province. For his own political gains, the writ of the government was compromised. At the time of appointment of Ebad as the Sindh governor, newspaper reports alleged that he was facing charges of heinous crimes. However, in a briefing session, President Musharraf told newspaper editors that he had checked this allegation and there was no charge of any heinous crime against Ebad.

We have seen the government turning a blind eye to the gory killings of around 40 persons in Karachi on May 12. The private television channels showed live coverage of the mafia ruling the streets of Karachi and killing people with sophisticated weapons without any sign of remorse or fear of being caught. President Musharraf in his post-May 12 Karachi visit rejected the idea of holding a probe into the ruthless cold-blooded murder of dozens in the city of lights. He rather suggested to the media men confronting him to forget the past and look towards the future. So the writ of the government was again compromised and the killers were allowed to go scot-free. In this case too, what was at stake was the vested interest of the rulers. The Lal Masjid crisis, which had initially started as a confrontation between the law-enforcers and those challenging the writ of the government, has now become a humanitarian issue. The crisis that has entered sixth day has already claimed over 20 lives and there are claims from inside Lal Masjid of a huge death toll of Jamia Hafsa students. An SSG Colonel also fell victim to this disaster in the wee hours of Sunday.

Though the exchange of fire continues intermittently from both sides, there is a standoff over the negotiated settlement of the issue. Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi, who after the arrest of the Lal Masjid’s linchpin Maulana Abdul Aziz, has emerged as the man deciding the fate of hundreds of those still inside the mosque. Previously considered to be a flexible man, Ghazi has proved to be an extremely tough negotiator. With unconfirmed reports pouring out of the mosque that hundreds of women, children and even men are held hostage and are being used as a human shield by Ghazi and an unknown number of Islamists present there, now the government finds itself in a catch-22 situation. To avoid the loss of innocent lives it has rightly decided not to storm the mosque. The government has activated leaders like Ch Shujaat Hussain to find a negotiated solution to the crisis by engaging Ghazi. But so far the government is not willing to offer the kind of concessions demanded by Ghazi. Ghazi had initially sought safe passage for himself and his mother in return for the surrender of all those present in the mosque. Later, he even demanded the institution of a judicial probe into the cases framed against him to avoid arrest. The government has also not agreed to this.

After seeing how his elder brother was humiliated by the government on the state-run television following his arrest, Ghazi must be apprehensive of mistreatment once he surrenders. He would want to be doubly sure that he is not disgraced publicly. Talking to a private television channel, Maulana Ghazi had said that he and his mother would prefer death to the kind of humiliating treatment meted out to his brother. To attain the prime objective of securing the safe release of hundreds of those present in the Lal Masjid, the government should not feel shy to offer the kind of concessions sought by Ghazi. Ghazi is not more important than those still present in the mosque. In such a situation a compromise made to save even one innocent life would be construed as “wisdom” or “astuteness”. This crisis has already played havoc with the nerves of the nation. It must not be dragged any further if a disaster is to be averted. The implications of this standoff could be disastrous for Pakistan. REFERENCE: Govt compromise with Ghazi will not be unique Ansar Abbasi Monday, July 09, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=8916&Cat=13&dt=7/9/2007

Students happy to leave Lal Masjid Thursday, July 05, 2007 ISLAMABAD: Many male and female students of Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa were happy on getting rid of the title of ‘Taliban’ after being released from the premises. Many students released from the custody of local Taliban of Lal Masjid commented that they are leaving the Lal Masjid either at their own will or on the desire of their parents but they are satisfied on exiting from this horrible situation. Irsa, a seven-year-old female child from Fateh Jang, was leaving Lal Masjid with her mother. When she was asked that whether she was happy to go her home or want to live in Jamia Hafsa, Irsa said: “I want to go home and I am happy to leave the madrassa.” When asked that in which class she was studying in the seminary, she keep quiet and was unable to speak. When her mother was asked did she think it sensible to get admit a seven-year-old female child in a madrassa like Jamia Hafsa, she said that she admitted her daughter in the madrassa on the recommendation of some relative but she will never get her daughter back here.

Maria from Haripur said that she had left Jamia Hafsa earlier when the tension was increased, however, she joined again just to complete her studies. She said that she is happy as she is going to her home and leaving this tense environment. Aysha Niaz, whose cousin Muhammad Saeed came to Lal Masjid to take her home, said: “I want to complete my studies but now it is not possible. I am sad for not completing my studies, however, I am glad on leaving this place. Another girl Bano was also happy on leaving Jamia Hafsa but she defended her madrassa activities to overcome social evils. When this correspondent asked her that how will she justify the kidnapping of Chinese girls from F-8/3, she said that they were running a brothel and it is the responsibility of every citizen to try to eradicate such evils from the society. When asked that did she or her madrassa administration informed the government about this brothel or took action directly, clearly challenging writ of the government, she replied that government officials already knew about these brothels and there was no need to inform the government on this issue.

A girl from Murree, who didn’t tell her name, said that she was leaving for never coming back. Fouzia Shamroz from Attock was very happy on leaving her militant school and said that now she will complete her studies in Jamia Muhammadia Hassan Abdal in a peaceful environment. Iftikhar, father of a female student from Haripur, said that he had taken her daughter back to home for several times but he had to get her back to Jamia Hafsa on normalisation of situation. However, he said that he and her daughter are happy that they are going back to home safely and now they will never come back. Um-e-Hamna, a female teacher of Jamia Hafsa, who was leaving for her home with her mother, was very emotional on leaving the premises. She said that she is leaving just because of her mother who insisted her to do so. Um-e-Hamna said that she could inflict suicide attack in future. When this correspondent asked her, “we all are Muslims and Pakistanis, why would she inflict suicide attack on our own people,” she replied: “From yesterday (Tuesday) we are no more one and same, you are all against us.”

Many of the male students were not speaking to media. Few, who spoke said that they are happy to escape from this crucial situation. However, they said, “we side with our administration on this crisis and oppose the present government for not implementing Shariah in the country. They said that they would come back to Lal Masjid if the situation normalised. APP adds: Qari Liaquat Ali, who arrived from Battagram for her daughter Raheela, said he had earlier tried to take her back but the administration was adamant and refused. He termed government action ‘right and prompt’ and said government deserves credit as it exercised a lot of restraint. Najma Bibi, mother of a 17-year-old daughter from Khana Pul, said that her daughter has been studying in the seminary for the last two years. She sent her daughter for getting education only and never imagined that such tense situation would emerge. Mohammad Ajab from Murree, who was waiting for her daughter, said, “we are against extremist policies of the Lal Masjid administration”. He said Jihad is the greatest degree of Islamic teachings and only well-learned religious scholars can define it. 17-year old Raheela Bibi from Swat said the female students were forced to stay inside and were used as shields. “I have come here for religious education but the brand of Islam propagated by the administration was horrendous,” she added. REFERENCE: Students happy to leave Lal Masjid Thursday, July 05, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=63245&Cat=6&dt=7/5/2007

Environment Ministry building, vehicles set on fire Sohail Khan Wednesday, July 04, 2007 ISLAMABAD The Taliban of Lal Masid after a fierce gun battle with the law-enforcing agencies on Tuesday set the building of Ministry of Environment on fire causing loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer. Valuable vehicles of the high officials of the ministry were burnt while vehicles parked outside building were severely damaged due to the flames that engulfed the whole building, burning all the record of the ministry as well as destroying equipments. “Record of ambitious projects planned by the ministry under Public Sector Development Projects (PSDP) as well as details of foreign-funded projects have been destroyed in the renovated building,” Federal Minister for Environment Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat told The News. He alleged that he had repeatedly sent about 40 to 45 letters to the local administration for providing security to the building, which is situated near Lal Masjid, but the authorities failed to provide it. If the local administration had provided foolproof security, the incident could not have happened, he added. The minister vehemently contradicted reports that the ministry was ordered to vacate the premises the other day for deployment of Rangers, saying that not a single order was issued either to him or other officials of the ministry in this regard. Meanwhile, the ministry officials said that vehicles of high officials including the secretary, joint secretary, additional secretary and others which were parked inside the building were burnt into ashes. The students first resorted to pelt stones at the windowpanes and later sneaked into the premises after breaking the walls at the backside and then set the whole building on fire. “It was a terrible moment when I came out from my office after breaking the room window when the students of the Jamia Hafsa, carrying sticks entered the building premises,” said an official. In the meantime, the whole staff came out of their sections and succeeded in leaving the building, the official added. The official said personnel of fire brigade reached the spot to extinguish the fire, however, the students did not allow them to do their job. The Ministry of Environment is located 50 yards away from Lal Masjid. An employee of the ministry told The News that the government had ordered the staff of the ministry the other day to vacate the building at around 3 pm, however, on Tuesday, the staff was allowed resume their work and the whole staff was present. “We escaped from the clutches of death and I don’t know how we managed to flee the building,” said Shumiala, Assistant Director, Information, NCS Resource Centre. Talking to the News, she said that the whole record of the ministry is burnt. REFERENCE: Environment Ministry building, vehicles set on fire Sohail Khan Wednesday, July 04, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=8819&Cat=13&dt=7/4/2007

Parents throng surroundings in search of children Ahmad Noorani Wednesday, July 04, 2007 : ISLAMABAD: A number of worried people whose children have been studying at Lal Masjid assembled in areas around the mosque and at hospitals on Tuesday, in an attempt to access their children as firing between the Lal Masjid brigade and the law-enforcement agencies continued. The parents said their children were inside the mosque and they wanted to take them home. The urged the government to let them get their children out of the mosque and then think about the operation. When asked why they did not get their children home earlier, some of the parents answered that they felt satisfied with the repeated statements of the government that the problem would be resolved through peaceful means. A few parents said that whenever they contacted the Lal Masjid administration in this regard, the administration replied that there was no problem and the government was just trying to pressurise them through the media. “When we told the administration of the Lal Masjid that we wanted to take our children back, the administration used delaying tactics.”

Jamil Khatak, the father of three students in Lal Masjid, said he did not know his children’s whereabouts. “I donít know if they are alive,” a visibly terrified Jamil said. When Jamil was asked why he had got his children admitted to the Lal Masjid, he said that he was a poor man and could not afford any expensive school. Another man, Imtiaz Ali, whose daughter was a student at the Jamia Hafsa, said that he was anxious about his daughter’s security. When this scribe asked him why he did not take his daughter back home earlier, he said that he did not want to take his daughter back home because he was satisfied with the Madrassah education. REFERENCE: Parents throng surroundings in search of children Ahmad Noorani Wednesday, July 04, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=8821&Cat=13&dt=7/4/2007

Tuesday, July 10, 2007 BEIJING: China on Monday condemned the killings of three Chinese workers in Peshawar and called on Pakistani authorities to do more to protect its citizens living in the country. A statement quoting Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang released to Xinhua called on Pakistan to "mete out severe punishment to the criminals" responsible. "China has asked the Pakistani side to provide medical treatment to the wounded man and help repatriate the bodies of the dead." China's Ambassador to Pakistan Luo Zhaohui released another statement that also called for a quick investigation into Sunday night's attack. Luo "condemned the violent incident," according to China's official Xinhua news agency. In the statement, Luo told Pakistan "to investigate it (the attack), round up the culprits, properly handle the follow-up issues and take effective measures to protect all the Chinese in Pakistan," according to Xinhua. Luo said the deputy chief of the Chinese embassy in Pakistan, Mao Siwei, was leading a team of Chinese diplomats, who had travelled to Peshawar to "deal with the issue." Mao on Monday here held a meeting with the city police chief Abdul Majeed Marwat and received the latest update regarding the triple murder case. He was informed that a high-level investigating team was probing the incident and the culprits would be brought to book shortly. Later, the Chinese diplomat visited the mortuary of the Khyber Medical College, where the bodies of the slain Chinese nationals are lying for autopsy. He also met with other senior police officials and doctors. REFERENCE: Beijing asks Islamabad to do more to protect Chinese Tuesday, July 10, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=63838&Cat=2&dt=7/10/2007